Chicago Cultural Center

Chicago Cultural Center - Specializing in Museums

A Visit to the "People's Palace"

One of the mandatory stops on any Chicago visit should be to the Chicago Cultural Center, where the city's official Visitor Information Center is located.Today, this magnificent building is the civic venue that links the arts community and the general public.

The Center hosts a plethora of cultural events--art exhibitions, tours, dance and film productions, literary programs, and more--all free to the public. For event and exhibit info, click here.

As Mayor Daley has said, "The Cultural Center is being preserved so that all Chicagoans, no matter how different their backgrounds or beliefs, will always have  a place where they can communicate in the universal language of the arts."

History of the Building

Constructed to be "an enduring monument worthy of a great and public spirited city," in the words of the founding library board, the building has come to be known as the "people's palace" and is a testament to Chicago's cultural leadership.

Designed by the Boston firm of Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, the building was dedicated in 1897 as Chicago's first public library (the Chicago Public Library has now moved to 400 S. State St.). It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1976.It's architectural style was influenced by the buildings of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition,featuring both Greek and Roman styles.

The building's interior features rooms modeled from the Doge's Palace in Venice, the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, and the Acropolis in Athens. The building is most notable for two beautiful stained-glass domes and lush ornamentation, like rare marble inlaid with sparkling mosaics.

Listing Information

URL: egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalEntityHomeAction.do?entityName=Cultural+Center&entityNameEnumValue=128
Phone: 312-744-6630

Type > Museums, Concierge Desks